


Over The Edge

by theredqueenofsparta



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, Fem!John - Freeform, Fem!Sherlock, Femlock, Genderbending, Pining, Screenplay/Script Format, This is an old script I had written for a competition
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-15
Updated: 2018-01-15
Packaged: 2019-03-05 04:55:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13380609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theredqueenofsparta/pseuds/theredqueenofsparta
Summary: After her discharge from the Army, a lonely and listless John Watson works at the local clinic for retired generals and is haunted by nightmares of drowning.One afternoon sitting on a bench, she meets another lonely soul trying to build her life back and strikes up a conversation.This is the story of that conversation





	Over The Edge

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! So, this story is an old one. I had written this script for a competition (which I did not win so lol) and I had forgotten about this for a long time until I saw this in my Google Docs.  
> I had changed the names for the competition- but this was always supposed to be Femlock.

 

 

She is drowning. Her head struggles to break through from under the water. She struggles to breathe as she flaps her hands uselessly to try and swim to the top. From the shimmering water, she can see a hill. An indistinct solitary figure stands at the edge of the hill. The figure is staring down at the pool.

 

John wakes up suddenly,sweating and shivering. She has two blankets around her in the sweltering heat of May. She struggles to catch her breath as she feels her pulse hammering away.

 

She swallows a sob as she flops down on her pillow. She stares up at the fan and marks each rotation as she tries to fall asleep again.

 

_FADE IN_

_EXT PARK. AFTERNOON._

 

A dull afternoon with clouds gathering over the park.It’s a small park with a children’s playground a few metres away. The cacophony of traffic and humanity comes from the other side of the park. The park overlooks multiple shops, including some sari shops.

 

Dr John Watson, walks down a solitary road with a lunch box. Dressed in her white coat. She is short but muscled. She walks with the familiar march of a soldier on duty, her back straight and looking ahead.Old habits die hard.

 

 She sits on a bench and removes her sandwiches from the box and begins to nibble on them with no real enthusiasm.

 

All of a sudden, a woman flounces down next to her. She is tall, slim with green eyes and high cheekbones. Dressed in a purple shirt and jeans, she has an irritated expression on her face.

 

_SHERLOCK_

Biology tells us that we have evolved from monkeys. Apparently, Anderson’s genetic ancestors were very stupid monkeys.

John looks up slightly startled at the other person occupying the bench. She slightly raises an eyebrow at the random outburst.

 

_JOHN_

Pardon?

 

SHERLOCK looks over at her, as if finally seeing someone else. She gives an appraising look to the other woman.

 

_SHERLOCK_

How difficult is it to properly measure the border? This is primary school rubbish. Three inches more than what I asked for AND he tried to make me pay extra for it!

 

John looks even more nonplussed.

 

_JOHN_

Border?.. As in a for a sari?

 

_SHERLOCK_

Yes. Why do I have to deal with such incompetent morons?

 

She gestures dramatically and sighs as in real pain. JOHN’s mouth twitches as if trying not to laugh.

 

_JOHN_

You could have someone else measure it before it comes to you. Middleman might be more... Competent.

 

 _SHERLOCK’s_ face brightened and looked at John with a growing smile.

 

_SHERLOCK_

That’s it! I’ve got it.

 

She runs off without a word to JOHN. John looks even more confused but with a slight smile on her face as she watches the tall, beautiful woman run off.

 

Her arms are finally working. She moves her arms and swims to the surface. She is so close to breaking through. The figure on the hill still stands close to the edge. Unwilling to go over. The figure looks down at the drowning girl.

 

_FADE IN- TWO WEEKS LATER. THE PARK._

 

John sits on the same bench, with a tiffin of poha and a bottle of water. She takes a full spoon of poha in her mouth as the woman from the other day flounces down next to her again.

 

_SHERLOCK_

Well, at least he listened and got that damn app. Hopefully, he makes less dumb mistakes.

 

_JOHN_

App?

 

_SHERLOCK_

App for calculating cloth. Middleman like you suggested.

 

John laughs.

 

JOHN

That..wasn’t quite what I meant. But I’m glad it worked out.

 

They look at each other and share a laugh.

 

_SHERLOCK_

So...How long have you been retired from the Army?

 

John stiffens with surprise. SHERLOCK half-smiles and points to JOHN’s tiffin.

 

_SHERLOCK_

No one other than an Army woman would inscribe their name, age, and rank on the Tiffin... Dr. Watson

 

_JOHN_

Very observant. How did you know I was retired? And it’s J, hn please.

 

_SHERLOCK_

John it is. You have been sitting here for two days. Clearly a daily routine. You are still dressed in a white coat so you work nearby. The Army clinic is on the opposite road. Mostly only retired army doctors work there in my experience.

 

John stared at her open mouthed. She is absolutely bowled over. SHERLOCK blushed self-consciously.

 

_SHERLOCK_

I sell saris for a living. Being observant is a work hazard.

 

John smiled but with a tinge of sadness to it.

 

_JOHN_

You must be very good at your job then. That was brilliant. Truly.

 

SHERLOCK blushed and tried to wave the compliment away with a half hearted wave.

 

_SHERLOCK_

I’m SHERLOCK by the way. I own the shop at Baker Street.

 

_JOHN_

I gathered. A young man came stomping down this road yesterday muttering about a “psycho bitch” and her stupid shop.Somehow I didn’t think he was talking about _Mrs Talley’s_ sweet shop.

 

They both started giggling at that and burst into full laughter. As the laughter faded, John looked over at SHERLOCK as she tried to stop chortling. John stared at the slightly less mysterious woman as she felt a bond snap together within one laugh.

 

_JOHN_

Also, I didn’t retire. I was honourably discharged. Or at least that’s what I told the pension office.

 

_SHERLOCK_

Why?

 

_JOHN_

Because saying you were discharged because you had an affair with a superior officer would not go down well , I think.

 

Silence falls between the two compatriots. Meanwhile, the noise of the children playing starts to increase as the afternoon becomes evening.

 

_SHERLOCK_

Why did it end?

 

_JOHN_

Same reason all affairs end. There is one is willing to go over the edge and one is not. In this case, it was her.

 

_SHERLOCK_

Her?

 

_JOHN_

Well it certainly wasn’t going to be a him.

 

_SHERLOCK_

Of course not.

 

They smiled at each other again. Unknown to either, they were both telling themselves not to touch the other’s hands.

 

She moved her arms vigorously. Almost there. Finally! Her head broke through to the surface. Gasping, she gulped in essential oxygen as she peered up to the hill. The figure still stood at the edge. She seemed closer to the edge now though. She called out, urging her to jump, but she got no answer.

 

_FADE IN : THE PARK. EVENING. DARK CLOUDS are gathering. It looks like a stormy evening._

 

John sits on her usual bench. Her tiffin holds the remnants of dal roti and rice. The tiffin had pretty much been wiped clean. John looks to and fro from the viewpoint.

 

Suddenly she sees a figure bounding towards her. SHERLOCK , dressed in a blue shirt and jeans comes and sits on the bench. John smiles at her warmly, her heart is pounding away. SHERLOCK smiles back but seems to stiffen up.

 

_SHERLOCK_

I was married. For 10 years. It wasn’t.. Good.

 

_JOHN_

Okay. I don't-

 

_SHERLOCK_

My former husband and I hated each other. We didn’t like or tolerate each other even, as is for most of arranged marriages. Plus he was a “traditional”, read sexist dick.

 

_SHERLOCK_

That wasn’t the issue. I had learnt how to tune out idiots from an early age. I had a friend. Irene. More than a friend, I mean.. We were together for two years.

 

_John (gently)_

I understand.

 

_SHERLOCK_

She was interesting. Highly intelligent and very charismatic.We had fun together. But then one day I came home from seeing her and I found my parents in the living room with Victor. They told me they knew about Irene and me.

 

_SHERLOCK (continued)_

I thought it was my fault. I thought I wasn’t careful enough. I sneaked out and I went to her with some vague plan of elopement. and saw her taking a cheque from my parents. And then she said “Shame, your daughter was more fun than the usual girls I have to work with.”

 

_JOHN_

Oh.

 

_SHERLOCK_

Yes.Oh.I went back home and married Victor. Ten _miserable_ years later, he died and left us both in a better place than before. I opened my shop six months after. After that, I realised that emotions... _sentiment_ gets you nowhere. It warps the mind and leaves you defenseless.I tried to take that leap of faith one time and it almost ruined me. _I won’t make that mistake again._

 

SHERLOCK stopped, breathing heavily as she tried not to look at JOHN. John schooled in her expression as she heard her heart shatter in pieces.

 

_JOHN_

Yeah. You’re right. Of course you are.

 

_CUT TO JOHN’S HOME. EVENING. A storm is brewing outside. John is watching TV, flipping through channels uninterestedly. A plate of food is left uneaten on the side table. The doorbell rings._

 

_JOHN_

Coming.Coming.

 

John opens the door.It’s SHERLOCK.

 

_JOHN_

Oh hey.I hope you didn’t have a problem finding the place.

 

_SHERLOCK_

No, not really. Why did you call me? Why were you not at the bench today?

 

_JOHN_

I was..busy.

 

Awkward silence ensues.

 

_SHERLOCK_

Can I come in?

 

John nods and lets SHERLOCK in. They sit down in the dining room. SHERLOCK looks around.

 

_SHERLOCK_

This is not your place.

 

_JOHN_

No it’s my grandfather’s. He left it to me in his will, despite my parents’ _extreme_ protests.

 

_SHERLOCK_

I thought so. It doesn’t…look like you.

 

_JOHN_

Didn’t think there was a point decorating. Listen, um..I got a job offer in Sheffield.

 

_SHERLOCK_

Oh. I see. I assume you’ve accepted?

 

_JOHN_

It’s good pay. In a hospital where I get to treat real patients instead of old hypochondriac geezers.

 

_SHERLOCK (laughs a little)_

Of course. It sounds.. Perfect for you.

When do you leave?

 

_JOHN_

Two weeks. Just need to pack up everything. Not like I had much.

 

The silence, once comfortable now is oppressive.

_JOHN_

Unless… there is something that I did…have? Something that might need me to stay?

 

A pregnant pause as John held her breath.

 

_SHERLOCK_

What could there be?

 

John and SHERLOCK sit in silence, their fear leaving their feelings unsaid.

 

_FADE TO THE NEXT NIGHT. RAINING. JOHN’S APARTMENT. BARE WITH A FEW BAGS AROUND. John SITS WITH A GLASS OF WHISKEY._

 

_THE DOORBELL RINGS. ONCE, TWICE AND THEN THRICE._

 

_JOHN_

Coming, coming

 

The door opens to show a rain-soaked SHERLOCK oscillating on the doorway.

 

_JOHN_

SHERLOCK? What happened?

 

_SHERLOCK_

I’m an idiot.

 

_JOHN_

Okay… that’s a first.

 

_SHERLOCK_

Can I come in?

 

John still looks a little surprised. But she lets her in. They sit in the Dining Room.

 

_SHERLOCK_

That day. At the bench, when I said about those things..

 

_John (tersely)_

I agreed with you. Sentiment, love, all that _rubbish_.

 

_SHERLOCK (continuing)_

I hadn’t considered the..latest factors. Dangerous oversight really.

 

_JOHN_

What factors?

 

_SHERLOCK_

That, those afternoons on the bench with a former army doctor were the greatest afternoons of my life.

 

John looks up at SHERLOCK with shock and a little dawning hope.

 

_SHERLOCK_

I meant what I said before. About love. But then I met you. You impossible woman who laughed at my jokes. Who said brilliant when others would have abused me. Brave and kind. You understood what it was like to take that leap over the edge and fall to the ground. My conductor of light.

 

JOHN’s eyes filled with tears and fell on her face. A blinding smile grew on her face. She reached out to SHERLOCK’s trembling hand and held it to her heart. Their foreheads touched as they both cried.

_JOHN_

You brilliant madwoman. My genius who led me out of the darkness. God, I love you, you git.

 

SHERLOCK and John laughed through their tears. Their lips met in a tender kiss as the rain raged out below.

 

The figure atop the hill took a running start and cannonballed over the edge to the pool below. John stared in awe as SHERLOCK made a whooping sound as she came down to the pool below the hill.

                            

_THE END_

**Author's Note:**

> Please send me kudos, comment, and share. I live off your praise and validation.
> 
> Come scream at me...or talk to me if not so inclined here on [Tumblr](https://depth-of-loyalty-and-love.tumblr.com/)
> 
>  
> 
> I reblog stuff and sometimes add mildly amusing comments.


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